NEVER ALONE
by DarkFireNyx
Summary: Sophia runs for her life in the woods, being chased by walkers. Suddenly, she runs to a clearing and sees a girl about to shoot herself in the head with a gun. They stare at each other in silence...both shocked upon finding each other. Both girls' lives change in a twist of fate. AU, Walking Dead Season 2 and so on. STORY RATED FOR LANGUAGE AND CONTENT. BE WARNED!
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE:**

NEVER ALONE by DARKFIRENYX

**SUMMARY:**

Sophia runs for her life in the woods, being chased by walkers. Suddenly, she runs to a clearing and sees a kneeling girl who was about to shoot herself in the head with a gun. They stare at each other in stunned silence…both shocked and surprised upon finding each other. Both girls' lives change in a twist of fate.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

AU, Walking Dead TV episodes. OC. STORY RATED FOR LANGUAGE AND CONTENT.

BE WARNED!

When I watched the Season 2 of the Walking Dead TV episodes/series. I cried for the loss of young Sophia. This story changes the twist on where and which Sophia still lives, saved by my story's OC.

This story is a complete AU version of the TV series, starting from when Sophia disappeared into the woods, lost and alone and the others were looking for her, up to the point where Daryl found the abandoned house and gave Carol the Cherokee Rose.

There will be many changes in the story and the characters in it will be slightly OOC, and there are my OC characters that will be in the story as well.

**DISCLAIMER:**

I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD TV EPISODES/SERIES OR ANY OF THE MERCHANDISE ON IT. THE TV SERIES BELONG TO ITS ORIGINAL OWNERS AND CREATORS.

I ONLY OWN THE OC CHARACTERS, THE PLOT AND THE STORY.

CHAPTER 1

A rotting hand…a snarling face…then a scream from a young girl.

"SOPHIA!"

The young little girl ignores the cries and yells at her as she ran into the woods with the walkers chasing her.

LINE BREAK

"Sophia, stay here. I'll be right back!" Rick says as he leaves.

Sophia stays in her hiding place as Rick gets the walkers' attention and they chase him.

A little later, she leaves her hiding place and went off into the woods, all alone and afraid, disobeying Rick's orders on staying in her hiding place.

LINE BREAK

Walkers suddenly came out of nowhere, right in her line of sight and Sophia screams as she runs the other way, clutching her doll tightly as they saw her and chase right after her.

Sophia didn't know how long she's been running as she was filled with energy, adrenaline and fear, with the walking dead zombies still chasing behind her, almost getting closer.

Suddenly then, Sophia ran right into a forest clearing and she stops when a young looking girl, almost about 20 years old or younger, was kneeling in a posture of defeat and sorrow and she was holding a gun to her head, about to shoot herself.

The woman snaps her head up, upon sensing the intruder to her sorrowful solitude, and then her bright forest green eyes widened upon seeing the twelve year old child standing right in front of her.

Both woman and child were staring at each other, stunned upon finding each other until the silence between them was broken when moans and growls sounded behind the little girl.

Sophia instantly remembered the walkers, turns her head and screams upon seeing the walkers are now closely upon them, all about to grab her and eat her.

But the unknown woman, who was kneeling on the grassy ground of the clearing, instantly snaps out of it, stands up and fires her gun that she held against her head and it has a silencer attached to it as the bullet hit the brains out and kills the first zombie that was nearly close to Sophia.

The walkers reacted, all lunging to attack but the woman was quicker. The dark brown-haired woman instantly shoved Sophia behind her, almost clutching her close to her side as she drew out another gun with a silencer and shoots at the attacking zombies, faster than a speed of light, and striking them right in their heads, blowing their brains out and killing them.

Sophia was surprised that the woman's guns didn't run out of bullets as she kept shooting at them and stayed by her side, one hand clutching the back of the woman's shirt with a tight grip and the other hand clutching her doll against her chest as the little girl closed her eyes and waited with a small whimper as she hears the woman keep shooting and the walkers trying to get to them with hungry moans and snarls but thuds sounded around them as they fell from being hit by the bullets.

It didn't take long as there was nothing now but silence and Sophia slowly and hesitantly opened her eyes and looked around from behind the woman who saved her and stared at the fallen bodies of walkers around them, all down and dead.

Then she looked up at the woman in awe and wonder as she holstered her smoking silencer guns on her left and right sides and the woman looks down at Sophia with gentle and shining green eyes and a warm kind smile, her long dark brown hair, tied in a simple braid, brushing a long bow and a quiver of many arrows in her back.

"Hey there, little girl. My name is Arya. But you can call me Ari, for short." The woman simply says, still smiling kindly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Sophia." The little girl replies, returning her smile.

And in that very moment…both girls' lives change in a twist of fate.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

There you have it! Another new story! Hope you like it?

I couldn't help it and myself, so I wrote another new fan fiction story of the Walking Dead TV episodes.

Don't flame or burn me on whatever I write in this story.

Please give me PMs or REVIEWS on what you think.

Stay tuned for the next chapter! Where my OC, Arya will be helping Sophia search for her group and return her to her mother, Carol.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

After saving the little girl Sophia from the zombies or 'Walkers' as they were called, the young child follows hesitantly but eagerly behind the dark brown-haired woman Arya as she took lead, walking through the woods, navigating the forest with a serious hardened look, with her guns still holstered on her sides and her long bow and one of her arrows on her hands, ready to shoot for any more unexpected attacks on them.

As Arya walked on, tense and ready with her weapons on her hands, Sophia took the time on looking at the woman stranger, Arya and studying her intensely and curiously. The 12-year-old girl notices that not only she has guns holstered on her hip sides, she also have two more guns strapped and holstered on her upper legs and a long sharp dagger strapped and holstered on her right lower leg. She also has a shotgun with a handmade silencer on the tip and a quiver of many arrows strapped and crossed like an X on her back. She even notices that the long bow Arya is holding is either made of hard wood and silver concrete metal, its long and curved smooth handle with sharp pointed tip ends and the bowstring looked strong and firm made like a hard cable or firm rope. Next, she has a light crossbow, strapped nice and tight on her left bare forearm, with her left hand palm that has a reflex crossbow trigger strap clamp, and it is loaded automatically with small arrows.

Sophia then took note of how Arya looks, on what kind of clothes she's wearing, besides her weapons. Arya wears a black sleeveless tank top, her chest figure showing its curves nicely and she wears simple fitted pants with pockets. She also wears custom-made fitted boots, made for outdoor walking in every way, like mountain-climbing, forest-stalking and field-running.

As Sophia tries to deduce or solve as she thinks on what kind of Arya is, the woman stops and turns to look at Sophia who also stops as she did. Arya smiles gently at her and said. "Aren't you going to tell me where you need to go, Sophia? Or do you want me to lead us all around in circles, here in the forest?"

Sophia blinks then blushes brightly as Arya stifles a chuckle when the little girl remembers.

"Sorry." She said meekly.

"That's alright. I used to forget sometimes on what and where I need to go—but I assure you Sophia, I'm really good at directions and everything. I'm just not so sure on deciding myself on what path or direction _exactly_ I needed to go to." Arya says warmly, as she twists her head to flick her long simple hair-tied braid from around her neck into the back.

"The highway." Sophia said. "We need to get back to the highway."

Arya frowns at this and said grimly. "You mean the graveyard road of empty cars? Sophia, are you sure that your mother and your group is there? That place is really dangerous, because of the walkers lurking over there."

"I'm sure!" she said confidently. "Mr. Rick told me to get back to the highway where my mom and the others are waiting!"

Arya sighs and nods dimly. "Alright, alright. Let's go, Sophia—but we need to hurry. Cause it's getting dark soon. And I'm pretty sure that you know that when it's dark…many bad things will come out at night and prowl, including the walkers."

Ever since Sophia mentioned to Arya that she calls the zombies 'walkers', she picked the term up and got used to it, as the name for the zombies seems to suit them, more than 'biters', 'creepers' or 'death-eaters'.

Sophia stiffens when Arya stated what she said but Arya took Sophia's hand and gave a gentle squeeze to reassure her that she's safe with her and Arya smiles at her and Sophia smiles back.

Then they started their trip, walking through the woods with Arya in the lead, and Sophia behind her to cover and protect her as they headed to the direction of the highway.

LINE BREAK

Unfortunately for Arya and Sophia, when they finally reached the highway, with the road filled and crowded with scattered empty cars, and Sophia eagerly ran first with Arya hastily following after her, they saw to their dismay and horror that Sophia's mother and the group she's with are no longer there.

They looked around a bit more, with Arya instantly clamping a hand over Sophia's mouth when she was about to shout and call for them, instantly silencing her and giving her a pointed scolding look, and they saw that no matter how hard they look from the distance or around them and everything, they were nowhere to be seen or found.

"Oh no." Sophia whimpers, clutching her doll closely and tight to her chest. "But Mr. Rick says that my mom and the others were here waiting for me!"

Arya sighs and looks down at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Sophia. Maybe the walkers scared them off into moving to another place."

"But where?" she cries softly. "I don't even know where they are!"

"Ssh, ssh! Sophia, it's alright!" Arya calms her down, kneeling to her level and hushes her before Sophia is about to cry aloud, and might get the walkers' attention as they wander around somewhere.

"We'll find them, don't worry. I promise, Sophia. We'll find your mom and your group."

She sniffles and looks at her imploringly, straight in the eyes. "You promise?"

"I promise." Arya said firmly, then puts out her pinkie finger to 'pinkie-swear'. "Girl Scout's honor."

Sophia giggles and returns back the pinkie-swear, curling her small pinkie around Arya's and both shake on it.

Arya stands up and ruffles Sophia's hair lightly, making her giggle again and Arya looks around. "Now…let's look around and see if your mom or the others left some clue or sign for you, Sophia. Maybe they even left food for you in case they couldn't stay here and might come back later."

Sophia instantly lights up at this and looks around as well but not leaving Arya's side as they searched to see if Sophia's group left something for the girl.

It didn't take long for them to find it as Sophia almost jumps with glee upon seeing one of the cars' front windshield, painted in a white word block sign. "Arya, look! They said they'll come back for me!"

Sure enough, the sign left for them, in white paint on the clear car's windshield says.

"SOPHIA, STAY HERE. WE'LL COME BACK FOR YOU EVERYDAY."

Arya smiles widely as she also notices the food and supplies left for Sophia next to the windshield on the car's hood as well. "It's good of them to leave you some food and things, Sophia. But it's bad since they didn't add in the sign on when _exactly_ they're coming back." She said.

"Who cares!? They're coming back for me, Ari!" Sophia said excitedly, eagerly grabbing the canned food, water bottles and blankets into her small arms.

Arya chuckles as she instantly grabs the things on Sophia's arms before she drops them and she carefully puts them all into an empty backpack she found in one of the open and empty cars by the side.

"I care because…there are still walkers wandering and lurking about, Sophia." Arya says seriously. "Not to mention, that there might be Bandits here too."

"Bandits?" Sophia asks, curious. "Who are they?"

Arya winces and instantly regrets on bringing them up, but she didn't want to lie to the young child and told her the truth. "They are people like us, but they are _bad_ people, Sophia. They do many bad things to good people in order to survive, since the whole world went down and turn into a Hell-hole."

Sophia gulps, looking nervous and scared. "What kind of bad things, Ari?" she asks softly.

"_Very_ bad things, Sophia." Arya said seriously in a hard grim tone. Sophia lightly whimpers and she instantly relaxes when Arya reaches out and embraces her to comfort her.

"Come on. It's getting dark and we need to get you and me up a tree near here and sleep there for the night. We'll come back and wait here once they come back." Arya said.

Sophia blinks and tilts her head to the forest. "A tree? But why are we sleeping up on a tree, Arya?"

Arya grins and jokes lightly. "Scared of heights, Sophia?"

"No!" she says instantly. "I like climbing trees. I used to do it when I was little back then. But I'm just curious on why we're sleeping on top of one? I never have done that before."

"Well, today's your lucky day, Sophia. Because you are, now." Arya nods towards the woods and walks on, slinging the backpack with Sophia's stuff right to her back with her shotgun and bow and quiver of arrows, and Sophia hastily follows her. "Sleeping up on a tree keeps us safe from walkers and bandits, Sophia. It's better to sleep from up and above instead of down on the ground." She explains as she goes right to the nearest tallest and thickest strong tree she sees.

Arya manages to find a good strong and sturdy tree with many branches that were good and easy to climb on and sleep on one of them and the tree was heavy with leaves in order to cover them from sight, from any walkers or the 'bad' people bandits that might pass by them.

She gestured to Sophia to climb first, and after a moment of slight hesitation, Sophia climbed up the tree carefully, until she reached the thickest branch she sees that she can sleep on without falling off.

After Arya watches Sophia carefully and making sure that she climbed up safely, she followed right after her, still got her weapons and bags on her, and climbed with her astounding strength and agility until she reaches the same tree branch Sophia's on and carefully removes and hangs all her things from other nearby branches, took out a long and strong rope to use to wrap her and Sophia with in case they fall off, ties it nice and tight around their waists and gestures Sophia to lie and curl in front of her and against her body to be comfortable and sleep nicely. Arya wraps her arms around the little girl for good measure as she settles herself comfortably.

"You okay, Sophia?" she asks softly.

Sophia nods against her chest and looks up at her. "It's a little weird to sleep in a tree. But I'm okay."

"Good." She said and her head turns to look up and Arya smiles upon seeing something. "And we got a great view too. Look, Sophia."

Sophia looked and the young child was filled with wonder when they managed to find the right spot on the tree where they can see, through a small gap amongst the tree leaves and branches, the night sky with their pretty twinkling stars and the moon almost covered and shadowed by the night clouds, giving a light faint glow onto them.

It took for a few minutes for Sophia to sleep peacefully against Arya after staring and watching the starry night sky, and Arya smiled fondly at the sleeping girl until she felt exhaustion kicking in and she laid back, closed her eyes and let sleep take her, to a dreamful slumber.

Both Arya and Sophia slept there on the thick tree branch, very high and up on the tree, and both sleep peacefully, even with background noises of the night and sounds of wandering walkers out there somewhere as they were granted a quiet and silent peaceful rest, safe and alive from the dangers below.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another chapter ended. Hope you like it!

Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Because this is when Arya and Sophia encounters unexpected surprises on the way as they journey to find Sophia's mother and her group.

Don't hold back or stop to give me messages or reviews on what you think. I hope you like this story. The next chapter comes soon.

I'm not sure about my other stories…but I assure you that I will still be writing them. It takes time.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

As the morning light comes and the sun slowly rising from the horizon. In the tree where Arya and Sophia lie on one of the branches sleeping peacefully, the little girl Sophia woke up first when the sunlight shines through the tree leaves and branches to them. She blearily rubs her eyes and yawns cutely and blinks her eyes while looking around as if unfamiliar with her surroundings.

Sophia tried to rise up but she stops when she feels strong slender arms wrapped around tight her body and looks up and sees Arya, still sleeping and breathing deeply quiet. The young child instantly remembers everything and smiles as she lay back down, her head on Arya's chest and gives a slight squeezing hug.

But that move woke Arya up as she gives a soft groan and her eyes blink open and then they look around until she looks down at smiling Sophia when she notices that she woke her up. Arya also remembers everything that happened before and she returned her smile back.

"Morning, Ari." Sophia chirps.

"Good morning, Sophia." She replies back and carefully sits up and unwrap her arms around the little girl as she sits up too and looks at Arya expectantly and eagerly. "Since its morning now, we better eat our breakfast and then get down and get back to the highway. I'm sure that your mom or the others might've come back for you there."

Sophia's eyes lit up at this and nodded vigorously as Arya reached out on one of their bags hanging by the nearby branches, rummaged around inside the bag for a second until she found the food, which are a couple of snack bars and canned tuna. Arya divided the food evenly and shared it to Sophia who took it happily.

The 12-year-old young girl consumed the snack bar ravenously and she slightly wrinkled her nose upon staring at the opened canned tuna before she reluctantly eats it all. Arya held back her amusement upon noticing Sophia's reaction on going to eat the canned tuna as she quickly finishes her share of breakfast and throws away the empty can and wrappers right down below them, after checking and making sure that there are no walkers or bandits lurking about to hear or notice the clanging noises from the fallen tuna cans or the thrown empty containers and wrappers falling.

As Sophia finished hers and does the same what Arya did, Arya then unties and removes the rope that was tied around them, to keep them safe from falling off the tree and puts it on her bag. Then Arya reaches for her weapons and the bag and puts and straps them back on her back, guns and dagger strapped and holstered again on her hip sides and legs, and lastly straps her light crossbow onto her arm. After finishing all this, Arya climbs down first and Sophia watches with worry and fear for her as Arya goes down with very amazing agile moves.

Arya finally reaches the ground, her feet hitting the grassy bottom and then she smiles and gestures at Sophia up above her to climb down too. Sophia smiles down at her, then clutches her doll to her chest as if for comfort then she carefully climbs down the tree, watching her steps and always making sure and checking herself so that she wouldn't slip and fall off accidentally.

Arya watches Sophia climb down alert and careful, also making sure she doesn't slip and fall off until Sophia finally touches down, her small feet hitting the ground and she's now safe and sound and standing by her side. The little girl looks up at the woman eagerly and Arya smiles down at Sophia and takes her hand as they walked towards the direction into the highway.

LINE BREAK

They returned back into the highway and both woman and child were nearing towards the car with Sophia's sign on it, the little girl eagerly skipping with joy as they walked towards it.

Arya was smiling at the young child's enthusiasm when something caught her eye and she looked towards it. What she saw made her instantly freeze still and her heart stops and turns cold, and her hand on Sophia's suddenly pulling her back, surprising and confusing the child as she looks up at her. "Arya? What's wrong?" she asks.

Suddenly, Arya curses under her breath and was glad that Sophia didn't catch what she said as she hissed instantly. "Get down, Sophia! Hide!" Sophia was more confused and suddenly scared at Arya's sudden change in behavior as the little girl didn't protest or cry out when Arya pulled her into behind at one of the cars on the side and they get down, crouching and kneeling, hiding them from sight as Arya carefully peeked and looked over, watching out.

What Arya saw, was actually the 'Bandits' she was talking about as she saw a group of five mean and scary-looking men coming into the highway, at a fair distance, and they were looting at the first empty cars, taking anything they see, whether it was useful or not. Arya curses again under her breath while Sophia clutches one hand tightly on her shirt in fear, as Arya sees that the five men were loaded with heavy guns, that she knew instantly that she couldn't beat them.

Then Arya instantly remembered with horror about Sophia's sign that was still there, and she knew that once the Bandits come over there and sees it, they won't hesitate to wait for the child Sophia, or her mother and her group, and do _horrible_ things to them once they ambush them and catch them off-guard.

Arya quickly knew what she had to do and looks at scared Sophia seriously and says. "Sophia, listen to me. I need you to help me on this, okay?" When she nods hesitantly after a silent moment, Arya said. "Remember those _bad_ people I told you about, Sophia? The Bandits?" Sophia nods again, clutching her doll tightly as if for comfort again. "Well, the bad guys are here and they're over there, stealing anything in those empty cars. We need to go over to your sign, Sophia and _remove_ it."

"What? But why?" she asks.

"Because, Sophia, if these Bandits see your sign and the food left behind, they are going to _stay_ there and wait for you or your mom and your group and do _bad_ things to them." She explains in a hard, serious and grim voice tone.

Sophia gasps. "No! I don't want them to hurt my mom or my friends!" She cried but the child was smart enough to not louder her voice for the Bandits to hear them.

"And that is why we need to find something to remove your sign and use something to spook and scare these bad guys away from here, so that they wouldn't do that." She said. "Now, are you with me, Sophia? Can you help me and do what I say?"

Sophia instantly nods vigorously with courage and slight fear in her and Arya nodded approvingly at her and she gestures her to be really quiet and gestures her to follow her.

Slowly but quickly, while the Bandits were still at a distance, looting and stealing the empty cars, and two of the men were keeping look out for people or walkers, Arya and Sophia managed to find paint remover, cleaning supplies and red paint, and they reached to the car with Sophia's sign and do their task on what they needed to do.

Arya instructed Sophia to use the paint remover and cleaning tools to remove the white paint sign off and clean the car's wind shield neatly, and then Arya notices that there were more food and supplies left on the car's hood with Sophia's sign there, making Arya realize that Sophia's mother or the others found out that Sophia's still alive, upon finding the previous food and supplies gone and they were on the verge of hope of finding her alive and well.

Arya grimaced with sympathy and guilt over what they're going to do, on dashing their hopes, but she knew very well that she had to do it, because the walkers are not the _only_ danger that these people had to endure in this apocalyptic world.

So she grabbed the new-placed food and supplies and packed them into the bag and started using the red paint she found and she went and made scary and spooky signs on the cars, in order to freak and scare the Bandits off and away and out of the highway, even if these bloody scary signs also scare Sophia's mother and group off and away from there.

With very scary and almost authentic spooky signs, that almost give the image that the signs were written in blood or something as she lets the red paint signs drip away, giving the sight or image of that. All of them saying. "LEAVE THIS PLACE", and "THE DEAD WALKS", and "LIFE IS GONE, ONLY DEATH REMAINS" and other very and really scary signs.

Then Arya went to Sophia, making sure that she crouches and hides out of sight from the Bandits, who are still far away in the distance, and she sees Sophia already finished on removing and cleaning her sign off.

Arya nodded to Sophia and she gestures her to stay down and hide and the little girl does it as she watches the woman grimace with guilt again and she carefully paints the car with Sophia's previous sign with red paint and put a scary eerie sign on its newly-clean and clear wind shield.

She finishes and looks at the newly and wet red painted sign, with some small drips, giving the image of a grisly bloody look, saying. "DON'T COME HERE, ONLY DEATH HAUNTS HERE."

Arya was satisfied at her work then her head almost snaps to the side and sees the Bandits coming then she gestures to Sophia as they went off and leave the highway, while still hiding from sight of the bad people, and run away back into the woods.

As they reached the forest, Arya pulls Sophia right at a tree, hiding behind it and Sophia stays closely near her and Arya carefully peeks and looks over to the highway. She watches as the Bandits went to looting and stealing the next empty cars, when one or maybe two of the men suddenly find the bloody red and scary signs and instantly shouts out loud in horror and panic and the other men went over to them to see what's wrong and they saw the red painted signs as well.

Arya almost laughs out loud upon seeing that her plan worked and the Bandits were completely panicked and spooked upon seeing and reading the signs painted on the cars, that two or three of them dropped whatever they had or found and grabbed themselves and they ran for their lives into the vehicles of cars they had with them from the other end of the highway and speedily drove off with a car-screeching noise, leaving the highway and away from it.

Sophia also sees this when she moves slightly and peeks and looks over to the highway and almost giggles out loud upon also watching the Bandits' reaction to Arya's scary red signs and when they left and drove off away from there.

When they were gone, with Arya's eyes narrowed into the distance and checked and made sure that the Bandits are really gone, did Sophia instantly giggles out loud but not loud enough to draw attention, and she grins widely, looking up at Arya. "It worked!"

"Yeah." Arya chuckles as she looks down at her, smiling widely. "Did you see the looks on those mean and scaredy-cats guys' faces when they saw the signs? I thought that I saw one of them wet their pants!"

Sophia giggles again as they both laughed with amusement and quietly over their accomplishment together.

Then Arya nods dimly towards the highway. "I'm going to grab whatever those bad guys dropped there in the highway. Sophia, you stay here and keep a look out in case they come back."

"But why are we going to take the things what those bad people have, Ari?" Sophia asks curiously. "Isn't that stealing too and makes us bad people?"

Arya shakes her head and smiles reassuringly. "The things they have are from _bad_ people, Sophia. So it's not really bad if we take whatever things or stuff they have since they stole them from _good_ people. It just means that we, _good_ people, are getting our things back."

Sophia nods and understands what she said and she waits by the tree, also watching over her own back, in case if the Bandits come back or walkers are lurking about and might wander by, as Arya went back to the highway to grab whatever stuff the Bandits hastily drop and left them behind.

Sophia sees and watches Arya pack the dropped things into the supply backpack bag and she hurriedly returns back to her as Sophia smiles up at her.

Then Sophia's smile drops upon remembering why they're here and Arya gives a sympathetic look as she looks up at her with teary glistening eyes. "Oh no…what are we going to do now, Arya? My mom or the others might not come back here anymore."

Arya winces upon realizing that her plan to scare the Bandits off, it had made Sophia figure out and realize that when her mother and the others come back into the highway, they will also be scared and spooked when they see the signs and leave there and never come back.

Arya sighs, reaches out to Sophia and pulls her in a hug to comfort her. "I guess it means that you and I have to look for your mom and your group on our own, Sophia. It may take a long time and our journey will be rough and hard…but it's the only plan I've got. I'm sorry, Sophia."

Sophia lightly sniffles then wipes at her eyes as she smiles up at Arya, surprising the woman. "That's okay, Ari. I know that my mom and the others are really going to be worried for me, but I'm sure that out there somewhere they're waiting for me to come and find them. And I know, that you'll protect me and keep me safe and take me home to my mom and them."

Arya blinks at the little girl then she smiles warmly at her hopeful optimism. "Well then, Sophia. Let's get going. We got a long trip ahead of us. I promised you that I'll find your mom and your group and take you home to them. And I _never_ break a promise."

Sophia giggles slightly and smiles up at Arya as she takes her hand and they went off walking deep into the forest, on their way to finding Sophia's mother and her group to wherever they are.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another chapter ended. Hope you like it?

In case you're wondering, the cover page of my story, the one that is a picture of a girl with a bow and arrow, is my story's main character, my OC, Arya.

Next chapter, Sophia's mother and the group returns back to the highway and their reactions upon seeing Arya's bloody red signs, and the journey of Arya and Sophia as they traveled through the forest and they get to know each other.

Stay tuned for the next chapter! Enjoy!

Do not stop or hold back to give me your comments, PMs/private messages, or reviews on what you think of my story.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

When Carol, Sophia's mother went and return back into the highway to see if Sophia is there and waiting for them by the car with Sophia's sign, and she's along with Dale, Daryl Dixon, T-Dog, Andrea and Shane Walsh.

The last time when they left the sign for Sophia and left food and supplies for her, Carol was relieved and happy to see that when they came back, the food and supplies were gone, and it only meant to her that Sophia must've returned and took them. But Carol was devastated upon seeing that Sophia wasn't there or that she waited for them, and she was still was out there somewhere.

Shane, however, thought differently. He voiced out loud the theory that it might be someone else who took the food and supplies, and not Sophia herself, which the stuff was meant for.

Dale, Daryl and T-Dog glared at him when he said that statement out loud and Andrea comforted the crying and worried Carol as she grieved for her little girl Sophia who was still lost and alone out there somewhere.

So they put new and more food and supplies for Sophia, waited there for a moment then left when the sun went down and they'll come back again when the sun rises on the next day.

Carol wanted to stay for the night, but the others managed to convince her that it was dangerous to stay at night, since there are walkers lurking about and out there somewhere, and she left with them as they drive off the highway.

The very next day, Carol, Dale, Daryl, T-Dog and Andrea returned into the highway, with Shane and the others of their group stayed at the farm, the temporary place they hold up on and camped there, and Carol ran forward eagerly, towards the car with Sophia's sign and hoped deeply in her heart that Sophia is there and is waiting for her and the others there.

Unfortunately, what Carol found, when she got there, was something else. Something that shocked and horrified her so much, she couldn't stop the loud and shrill scream releasing from her throat and out through her lips.

When the others heard her scream out loud, they reacted instantly in reflex with Andrea and Dale running forward to Carol and Daryl and T-Dog looking around instantly with their guards up and weapons ready in case of attacks or dangers, even the walkers who might've heard the noise or noticed their arrival and come there.

"Carol! Carol, what's wrong?" Dale said as he was now beside Carol as she sobbed and cried in her hands.

"Oh my God!" Andrea exclaimed as she also saw it and stared with widened eyes in shock and horror and Dale turned to look, with his gun ready to shoot, to see what Andrea saw and made her react like that. Upon seeing what Carol and Andrea sees, it also made Dale stare wide-eyed in shock and horror and Daryl and T-Dog went and joined them and they also went to look on what gotten into them like that, their terrifying behavior almost scaring them.

To the entire group that was there, they are staring in shock and horror at the bloody and grisly and eerie red painted signs on the cars, scattered around like poisonous warnings and death threats, all painted by Arya who did that before to scare the Bandits off and away.

"What…the…Hell?!" T-Dog exclaimed almost loudly with big wide eyes, staring at the dripping almost bloody-like red signs.

"Oh God…_please_ tell me that it isn't…" Andrea trails off, remembering that Carol is there with them but she had to voice out loud her thoughts on seeing the signs. "…Blood!"

As she said that, Carol sobbed more, her hands covering her face as if trying to erase the sight of what she saw from her mind and head.

Daryl was the only one who snapped out of his stunned stupor, stepped forward and studied the signs and then he wiped one finger on the red paint which was still wet and dripping and he studied it intensely.

"It's not blood. It's just red paint." He finally stated aloud to the others. Carol and the others were instantly relieved at this as Daryl looked at the signs with a furious glint in his eyes, as he is not amused or happy over finding this.

"Whoever did this, that person just did and done this recently. And I can tell you—this is _not_ a very nice prank to pull on somebody!" he said in an almost snarling growl, glaring at the signs so intensely as if he's trying to make them melt and disappear.

Then Carol gasped upon remembering something and ran forward before anyone can stop her. "Sophia!" she cries aloud, running towards the car which is the one they made the sign and left food and supplies for her.

The others hastily follow her, Daryl or Dale trying to stop Carol as she reaches towards the car meant for Sophia. When Carol reaches the car first, she suddenly sobbed and cried more with grief and fear upon seeing Sophia's sign is now gone, replaced with the same bloody red painted sign like the other cars and it says.

"DON'T COME HERE, ONLY DEATH HAUNTS HERE."

Its sign, with its deadly threat and warning, made Carol cry and grieve for her lost and alone little girl Sophia, who was out there somewhere, and Carol thought the worst on whether the person who made the signs must've gotten to her.

When the others reached to her side and saw the sign on the car with its new red painted sign, Sophia's white painted sign now replaced and gone, and they see the food and supplies they left behind are gone as well, they all reacted with sympathy and anger.

When Daryl saw the sign and the threatening warning it said, the redneck archer saw red and he smashed and shattered the car's glass wind shield into pieces with his crossbow. "That son of a bitch!" he curses out loud. "I'm gonna _kill_ that bastard!"

Andrea and Dale console Carol and try to comfort her with the hope that Sophia might be safe and still alive and she might be still out there somewhere and that the young child must've seen the newly painted red signs and left the highway for good, never coming back there.

But whatever they did and said to try to reassure and comfort Carol, it only made the poor mother weep more with despair and fear for her precious daughter.

T-Dog pursed his lips into a grim scowl and he states out loud, while looking out for walkers who might've noticed or heard the racket they might've made. "We need to tell Rick about this and the others as well."

They all agreed and Dale and Andrea gently gestured and ushered Carol to move as they went back to their cars they used to get to the highway and motorcycle that Daryl has and drives, and they all drive off and away, back into the farm where Rick and the others of their group are.

LINE BREAK

Carol, Daryl and the others who went to the highway to check if Sophia's there, returned back into the farm, it's home and lot owned by the old farmer Herschel, and they went straight to the camp where they settled into, all of them determined to report and tell their leader, Rick Grimes, a former sheriff and the one who took over the rank for the group of survivors, about what they found on the highway.

Rick was there at the camp, helping his wife Lori to help their precious son Carl as he was slowly rising from his bed on their tent and slowly trying to move and walk, mindful of his wound that he got from being shot accidentally a while ago. Shane and Glenn were sitting by the fire, taking the lead as look outs for any walkers that might wander by.

They turned when they heard the cars and motorcycle and they saw that the others have returned. Lori gestured for him to go and smiled as she went to helping her son Carl and Rick went off with Shane following after him to meet up with the others and to see and hear what they found.

By the looks of grim and angry faces on Dale, T-Dog and Daryl, and the still crying Carol with Andrea still trying to comfort her, it wasn't good.

Rick prepared for the worst but what he and Shane didn't expect was what the three men told them. Both Dale and T-Dog told Rick and Shane about the red painted signs they found, newly painted on some of the cars on the graveyard highway and described them in grisly detail of their scary painted threats and warnings on them.

Rick also saw red and almost shouts out loud in outraged fury when Daryl told him in a still angry voice tone of the same red sign that replaced the sign meant for Sophia and told the former sheriff on what the sign said. Shane also felt the same way and remarks out loud cursing on wanting to hunt down the person who did that and shoots him on the head, blowing his brains out with one of their shotguns.

"Get in line, buddy." Daryl said simply to Shane, as he also felt the same way with Shane and agreed with him, but he wants to kill that person who did the signs, with one of his arrows of his crossbow, right in the eye.

Carol managed to stop crying for a moment to voice out loud her worry and fear on finding that the food and supplies meant for Sophia were gone when they went there and found their horrible discovery. She even tells Rick of her worst thoughts on what might've happened to Sophia. That maybe she's still lost and alone out there somewhere, not coming back ever again into the highway after seeing the red painted signs or…that Sophia might've encountered that person who did the signs and done something _horrible_ to her.

Rick knew that whatever he had to say to comfort or reassure Carol might've done anything but nothing, so he told all of them that they're going to double their search for Carol's little girl, Sophia and investigate the matter on the red signs and find out who has done this and also needing to know and find out whether the person who did the red painted signs might've gotten Sophia or not.

Dale, T-Dog and Andrea agreed, the three of them volunteered for the double search for Sophia's whereabouts, while Daryl volunteered to go with Rick and Shane to investigate and find out more about the red painted signs, and offers his skills on finding the person who did this and find out whether that person has got Sophia or not.

Rick was heavy with more guilt and sympathy for poor Carol as Lori came forward upon sensing something's wrong and she gently brought Carol to her tent and stayed with her to comfort her. Carl, his son looked at him curiously and wanting to know what's going on but Rick didn't answer or say anything to his young child and neither did Shane, as the bald and shaved head man also looked solemn and grim-looking at this.

It was fortunate though that Lori called for Carl to help her comfort Carol from her fears and worries for Sophia and Carl eagerly went to help his mother.

Glenn was also curious and wanted to know what happened, and Dale was the one who took Glenn aside and told him everything on what happened when they went to the highway for Sophia.

It took for an instant moment for the young Korean man Glenn to react with sympathy and anger like the others did when the old man Dale told him everything and he instantly went to Rick and volunteered to go with Dale and the others on the double search for Sophia with his full determination on wanting to go and defiance if Rick refuses him.

Rick didn't refuse Glenn and let him go with the others on the Sophia search and he turned towards the house of Herschel the farmer and owner of the farmland, where he and his family lives in and contemplated on telling him what happened and whether he wants to ask for his help. But instantly Rick knew, that if he told Herschel on what they discovered on the highway, the old farmer man won't hesitate to use that excuse on driving Rick and his group away from his home land and let them endure the horrors out there without any remorse. So Rick decided to keep quiet about the matter and just keep on searching for Sophia.

He hoped, and prayed to God in his inside mind, that wherever Sophia was, even though she's lost and alone out there in the cruel and dangerous world. She's still out there, safe, alive and well.

LINE BREAK

What Rick hoped for was actually true, as the young 12-year-old girl Sophia was walking right beside her companion and new friend, the woman named Arya as they walked through the forest, journeying to search for Sophia's mother and her group.

To pass the time as they walked on their forest adventure, Arya and Sophia ate some light snacks from the food they have and also talked to each other, getting to know one another about everything.

When Arya asked Sophia about her, her mother and her group, the young child eagerly and instantly chattered to Arya about everything and them. Sophia started by telling small things about herself, what Sophia likes and dislikes and everything to her new friend, Arya. Arya smiles and Sophia then tells her about her mother Carol, in which she loved her so much for the whole wide world and that her mother Carol loved Sophia the same as well, including protecting her from her _bad_ father who died before. Arya's lips pursed when Sophia told her about her father who was bad, but she was glad that Sophia's father was dead and gone because she wouldn't hesitate to _kill_ him once she ever catches sight and meets him in person.

Then Sophia told her of her best friend who is about her age too, named Carl and told her of his family, his mother Lori who was a former school teacher and his father Rick who was a former police sheriff. Sophia tells Arya as well that Lori helps her and Carl to keep up with school work and complains that she hates math, making her pout at Arya when she lightly laughs at her.

She talked about the others to Arya and describes them on what she knows much on them. She told Arya of Shane, that he was also a police officer and sheriff like Rick and that he was also Rick's best friend and partner in the police force. And Sophia told her of her added worry when Shane started acting weird towards Rick and Lori.

Arya instantly knew what it was, when Sophia told her that and gestured the little girl to continue on. Then the exuberant eager girl told her of the old man Dale who drives and rides an RV trailer car. She describes that Dale likes to tell stories of his life sometimes and some funny ones that made her and the others laugh.

Then she told Arya of Andrea, a blonde grown-up girl who recently lost her younger sister Amy and that she was a good woman who takes care of her and Carl and also told Arya that Andrea hates to do chores when Lori asks her to, that the blonde woman prefers to join the men and use guns and shoots. Arya instantly likes Andrea of her defiant and forceful nature and was thinking that maybe she could help Andrea on proving herself to go and fight and everything.

Then Sophia told Arya about Glenn. The former pizza-delivery boy and Korean guy who is youngest in the group but still older than Sophia and Carl and that Sophia likes him as he was sometimes awkward, clumsy and funny. Sophia also remarks that the others sometime mistake on calling Glenn that he's Asian or Chinese.

Then Sophia told her about T-Dog, in which it made Arya cock a raised brow at her at the name. Sophia giggles a little and tells her that T-Dog was a short name better used than being called his real name which is Theodore Douglas, which Sophia added in what T-Dog remarks that his name is a 'mouthful'. Arya laughs and agrees with Sophia at this and the little girl continues on.

Sophia then told Arya about Daryl Dixon. She told him that he's a scary but nice man, who is a Southern redneck and he hunts food for them with his awesome and mean-looking crossbow, mostly squirrel or rabbit meat that he hunts, and it made Arya interested when Sophia told her of Daryl as a hunter. Sophia also told her that Daryl used to have an older brother who is Merle, but he was meaner and always said names that hurt other people, including her mother Carol. Arya pursed her lips in a frown, not liking Merle instantly, and was on the very edge of wanting to find this Merle Dixon and whack him upside the back of his head with her long bow. But Sophia told her that they lost Merle long ago and Daryl still kept trying to find his older brother, which made Arya sympathize with him and pity him for losing someone you love and he's out there somewhere, lost and alone.

Then that was it, Sophia was finished telling Arya everything about her, her mother and her group and it was the woman Arya's turn.

"So what about you, Arya? What's your story?" she asks curiously with wide eyes looking up at her.

Arya smiles down at her, with a slight hint of sadness in her eyes as she started to tell her about herself and her story.

"Well, I'm Arya, and as you can see Sophia, I'm also a hunter like Daryl but I prefer hunting bear, deer, caribou, bird and buck meat more than rabbit and squirrel meat. And even though I have guns, a dagger and a crossbow, I mostly prefer using my bow and arrows." She starts, making Sophia beam and lit up as the little girl listens to her avidly.

"When the whole world ended into this Apocalypse, I wasn't actually alone. I was with my little sister, Sarah. And she was younger than you, about 7-years-old. Even before, after and since the end of the world, I always looked after her and take care of her. It was just her and me; it was only the two of us as family and of our whole lives. I was abandoned by both of my parents when Sarah was about 3 years old and luckily, I looked like a grown up adult enough to trick the foster system, take care of her and have her as my own."

Sophia perks up at this and looks around as if Sarah was there and she was going to meet her. "Sarah, your little sister? Where is she, Ari?"

When Sophia asks this, Arya suddenly went sad and moodily depressed, and Sophia stiffened and instantly realized on what had happened. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" she cried, hating herself for not knowing the possibility that Arya's little sister Sarah is dead and gone.

Arya shakes her head and smiles, reassuring Sophia that she's not mad at her for asking. "It's okay, Sophia. It's alright, I'm not angry at you." She sighs and looks towards the distance, thinking fondly. "My sister Sarah is gone. She died…by a walker who bit her and…I had to _kill_ her from turning into a walker."

Sophia's eyes glisten with tears as she instantly hugs Arya to comfort her and looks up at her. "I'm sorry." She whispers.

Arya shudders slightly and gives out a shaky sigh before she smiles gently at Sophia and pats her back to thank her for the comfort and the hug.

Sophia didn't want to ask but the young child had to know so she said. "When did Sarah…die?"

Arya pursed her lips and replied after a silent moment. "Almost 7 months ago. We were together and I always had my little sister Sarah with me to protect her and keep her safe when the world ended and the walkers rampage outbreaks, for about 3 months. After that…I was…alone."

"I'm sorry." Sophia says again softly.

Both Arya and Sophia were silent for a moment, stopping their walk and just standing there in the forest…with Sophia still hugging her with her arms around Arya's waist and Arya looking blankly solemn and sad.

Then Arya snaps out of it and she takes a deep breath and composes herself and she returns back Sophia's comforting hug and smiles down at her.

"Well, Sophia. That's everything about me. Now, let's stop for today and climb on up another tree again and sleep there for the night. It's getting dark." Arya said in a light voice tone, to reassure Sophia that she's fine and okay.

Sophia looked at Arya for a moment to make sure that Arya really is fine and okay and then she nodded then Arya and Sophia walked towards one of the big tallest and thickest trees to climb up and sleep on one of its tree branches for the oncoming night.

On the following next day, both Arya and Sophia will continue on their journey to search and find Sophia's mother and her group and take Sophia home and back to them.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another chapter ended. Hope you like it?

Next chapter, Arya and Sophia continue on their journey, and they get to know more about each other and do exciting adventures and encounter unexpected surprises on the way. Meanwhile, the others went on a double search for Sophia and Rick and his companions with him, go to the highway to investigate and solve the case of the scary red painted signs, made and left by Arya.

Stay tuned for the next chapter. Enjoy!

Do not hold back or stop to give me comments, private messages or reviews on what you think of my story.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

On the next day and right in the morning sunrise, Arya and Sophia continued on their journey to finding Sophia's mother and her group as they trek through the forest.

Arya walked as she also held a map on her hands, studying it and looking from direction to another direction, as she tries to decide on which path they need to go to and search on. While Sophia was skipping and walking all the way, chattering aloud to pass the time and ward off boredom, telling Arya about more stuff about her group or anything that comes into her young mind.

Arya smiles at the child's enthusiasm as she glances with her brows slightly furrowed on the map she's looking over until she sighs, folds the map up and puts it back on her bag backpack strapped behind in her back.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to go to the direction of East, Sophia. According to the map and from what I can remember of this forest sometime long ago, there should be a river nearby that could lead us to the nearest small town, which I might be sure that your mother and your group might camp and stay there." She said.

Sophia beams and lights up at this with happy hope and she follows Arya as the woman took the lead and walk the random path she chose to take, and she draws out her long bow and an arrow into her hands, tense and ready in case of an unexpected attack that might come at them.

LINE BREAK

Back in the graveyard highway of many scattered and empty cars on the road, Rick Grimes, Shane Walsh and Daryl Dixon arrived there at the end of the cars on their rides, the two former sheriff police officers riding in one truck and Daryl, the Southern redneck with his crossbow, riding on a motorcycle.

They stopped their vehicles and parked them on the end and they came out with weapons at the ready in case of unexpected attacks or any walker lurking about and by.

They went and reached to the place where the cars that were painted with those scary red painted signs, that spooked and scared Carol and the others who arrived the day before and Rick and the two men stared with disturbed, solemn and angry expressions on their faces when they saw the red painted signs and the grisly bloody images they gave that sends cold shivers down their spines.

"You know, I'm starting to regret coming out here to look onto this matter, Rick." Shane remarks out loud as he stares at one of the signs that says. "ONLY DEATH REMAINS" He slightly shudders, disturbed upon knowing the meaning of the sign and its' threatening warning it eerily gives. "Seeing all this…I'm surprised that I didn't at least freak out suddenly and shit my pants."

Daryl stifles an amused snort upon hearing him say this and Rick grins slightly. Then Rick went serious when he went to the place of where the car they used is there to make the sign and leave food and supplies meant for one of their own in the group, the lost little girl and Carol's daughter, Sophia.

Rick went there first and he glared with pursed angry lips and a solemn grim look at the empty space where the glass of the car's wind shield would be, as it was broken and shattered into pieces by Daryl, and he can still picture the sight of the red sign that was left and it replaced Sophia's sign, in which Daryl told him before.

The sign that says. "DON'T COME HERE, ONLY DEATH HAUNTS HERE."

Its' words and statement on the sign that was left, gave such horrifying and terrifying thoughts into his head, that Rick was almost glad that he wasn't there with Carol and the others that day to see it himself. Because he knew that if he did see it right there and then, solid and real before him, he would've reacted the same way as Carol did, only with deepened guilt and shame and grief on not doing more and blaming himself more deeply again on what he should've done to getting Sophia safe and alive.

Then Rick shakes away his thoughts as they were about to grow depressing, and looks towards Daryl as he also was grimly and angrily thinking about it, but his thoughts were pointed to finding Sophia still lost and alone out there somewhere and there's a crazy unknown psycho who painted the red signs and might've bump into her and hurt the little girl. Rick asked to the redneck hunter. "Do you think you might be able to find some clues or tracks to whoever who did these signs?"

Daryl was grimly silent for a moment before he nods, looking over another direction. "I might be able to see if there are tracks by the side of the highway, over the railing. Whoever did this must've come from the woods and went into the highway here. If that guy actually came here in the road, there would've been scuff marks or tracks of a car that drove here. But there ain't."

Rick nodded at what Daryl said and deduced, everything he said makes sense and he looks over to Shane then back to Daryl. "Shane and I will look around and see if there were any clues left here. Daryl, you go on and see if you find anything. We meet back here in an hour."

Daryl nodded and he walked and jumped over the railing and then studied the grassy earthy ground, searching and finding any tracks he might find. Rick and Shane went off to walk around the cars and through and see if they find any clues or anything left by the culprit or something.

After an hour of searching, there was nothing they could find much to their disappointment and frustration as the three men returned back to their meeting place and exchanged meaningful looks that they found nothing. Rick sighs with disappointment and decided to be the bearer of bad news and tell Carol and the others about this as they went back to their vehicle rides and drove back to the farm, leaving the graveyard highway of empty cars behind, for good…with its red painted signs still there, giving out its scary deathly threatening warnings to anyone who passes by there.

LINE BREAK

Somewhere in the forest, Arya and Sophia was still walking through the deep woods still searching and finding a sign or anything to end their journey to find Sophia's mother and group. A while ago, they thought they managed to find something when they reached to one area of the forest and there was a church there, and they went inside the building and looked around.

Much to their disappointment, they only found dead walker bodies inside the church and they left the building and area instantly when sudden church bells were ringing loudly there and both Arya and Sophia knew that the noise will be attracting more walkers into the area and find the two living people there.

So they left hurriedly back into the forest and then they kept running until Arya was sure that they were a fair and far distance from the ringing loud sounds and safe from any walkers who might've heard and come there and pass by and notice them.

Arya sighs again, looks around then solemnly looks at the trees. "Well, it looks like it's another short campfire dinner and sleeping rest up on a tree for the night again, Sophia. Sun's going down and we can't keep this up and fall down into exhaustion for all the walking and running we went through."

Sophia sighs, almost panting and gasping from the run. "You're telling me, Arya! I feel so tired!" she pipes out loud. Arya smiles and pats her back as if to comfort the little girl. Then she went serious as she removes the string of hanging dead rabbit and small birds from her shoulder, in which Arya already hunted and killed before in the woods with Sophia by her side, watching with childish interest and wonder, and that was before she and Sophia went walking by and found the church building and area.

Sophia went off, but not too far from Arya's sight, to go and gather rocks, leaves and wood to make the campfire and cook their dinner and Arya went to find another tallest and biggest thickest tree she could find to climb and sleep up on for the oncoming night.

Arya found the tree for their rest bed tonight just as Sophia already finished gathering the rocks, leaves and woods needed for their campfire and cooking dinner, and the little girl skipped back to her, her face grinning widely at her self-accomplished pickings.

Arya smiled, giving her an appraising look that made the young child light up beaming again and she went to make a small campfire with Sophia helping her, and skinned and chopped the animals she hunted and stick them in sharp sticks to be cooked from the human-made small fire.

While Sophia and Arya are now holding sticks with the shish kabob animal pieces on them, and cooked them over the fire, Sophia asks softly to Arya. "Do you think we might be able to find my mom and the others? What if they gave up for me and they are long gone?"

Arya looked at her with a wide-eyed stunned look upon hearing her ask this and she saw with slightly pity that Sophia is about to lose hope that somewhere out there, her mother and her group just gave up looking for her and thought the child was already dead and gone.

She bit her lips in an almost frown and said in a matter-of-fact voice tone. "Now, Sophia, don't you go and start thinking of something like that. If your mom or the others of your group gave up on you…then they wouldn't have left that sign, food and supplies for you back in the highway."

"Yeah, but…I know that they know that I'm lost somewhere out here in the forest…shouldn't they be looking for us while we're looking for them?" she asks, looking at Arya imploringly as the young girl wanted to know that why her mother and the group hasn't come looking for them after she and Arya were walking and wandering deep in the forest for so long to find them that she could know much, and that why they haven't crossed paths yet.

Arya sighs, instantly agreeing with Sophia as she made a valid point, gave a thoughtful pondering look for a moment then she replies to her. "Maybe something is holding them up or that they're too far away from us. Either way, like I said Sophia, we have to go on our own and look for them. We can't just stay in one place and wait for them to find us. Because of the walkers and the Bandits, I don't want to risk that chance of putting you in danger and something bad happens to you."

Sophia was silent for a moment then she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation despite she's only a little kid. Their dinner food was cooked finally and its enticing aroma made them forget their worries or anything stuck in their minds as they ate their dinner contently and quietly.

But as Arya eats her fill of her dinner food, she sees that Sophia was still troubled and a bit miserable, thinking over her mother and her group. So the woman decided to tell the child a funny story just to cheer her up. "Hey, Sophia. Want to hear anything more about me?" she inquires.

Sophia swallows her food bit and nodded dimly, looking at her curiously as Arya smiles and says.

"Well, let me tell you a story about the reason on why I like to go and climb up on trees and stay there and sleep on them. Okay…one day, back before the whole world went down to Hell and the outbreak of walkers went spreading and rampaging about…my little sister Sarah and I went into camping trip in a big forest, which I forgotten the name of the place was, and I was going to teach her how to use a bow and arrow and be a skilled hunter and archer like me."

Arya smiles when she sees that she got Sophia's attention as the little girl listened to her avidly and eagerly.

"So then…I was teaching Sarah on tracking, on how to see what kind of marks animals leave behind and how to tell on what they are and how to find them. That was when Sarah and I stumbled into a campsite that was left behind and there were no people on sight. Now mind you, Sophia, it wasn't there that when the world went to Hell and walkers were there yet, but something else happened there. No…while I went to see and find out what made the people who were on the campsite leave in a big hurry and leave all their stuff behind—the answer came up right…_behind_ _me_. It was fortunate that I made Sarah go and stand by to hide somewhere in case something bad happens, because…it turns out the reason on whoever was on the campsite leave so quickly was…a BEAR!"

Sophia gasps at this.

"Yep. A real big _grizzly_ **bear**! I didn't notice that the big scary thing was coming at me until I heard it give a snort and felt it gave a deep breath right _behind me_, on my_ back_! Right as soon as the grizzly bear starts growling and was about to poke its big nose on my back, I suddenly reacted and jolted like a crazed squirrel and instantly scurried and climbed up the nearest tall tree I could reach and stayed there, clutching at one of its branches in a death grip like a scaredy cat!"

Sophia puts her hands to her mouth, trying to hold back the giggles that were coming out of her, her whole body shaking with laughter and amusement. Arya gave a mock-glare and frowning pout at her as she says. "So there you have it—that's why I've always climbed up on trees, and sometimes sleep and stay there. And it was all because of that mangy and big meanie grizzly bear that had the nerve to scare the Heck out of me! The bear left already as it didn't come after me when I suddenly reacted and climbed myself up to safety like that and it just went away, all looking bored as if it didn't do anything wrong. My little sister and the little weasel traitor, Sarah, was laughing her head off when she saw this from her hiding place as I was still up on the tree I was on, still clutching and hanging from the branch, shaken from what happened."

Sophia couldn't hold it in anymore as she burst out laughing and giggling, her arms clutched to her sides as she laughed uncontrollably. Arya gave another mock-glaring pout and frown again until after a few minutes, she smiled and looked at Sophia laugh fondly till the child stopped.

Then after sharing that story and Arya successfully cheered Sophia up, they went and turn the campfire off by kicking and shoving dirt and dust of the earthy ground and putting the fire out. Then Sophia climbs up the tree and Arya follows her until they found the thickest big tree branch they can comfortably sleep on as Arya hang the weapons and things to other branches and Arya settled herself and Sophia contently lied against Arya as they made themselves comfortable, listening to the sounds of the night and looking through gaps of the tree to stare at the starry night sky, until they drifted off to a peaceful and nightmare-less sleep and quiet slumber.

Both Arya and Sophia slept peacefully as they dream of joy and hopes of finding their loved ones safe and sound.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another chapter ended! Hope you like it?

Next chapter, Arya and Sophia kept on walking and wandering in their journey to find Sophia's mother and her group, and they stumble into a house with the garden that has the flowers known as Cherokee Roses, and Arya tells the touching story and legend about them. While Rick told his group of the bad news of what they couldn't find back in the highway and what of their discoveries, the group's reaction to this, and the ongoing double search for the little girl Sophia and whatever events that's happening on their campsite.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of my chapter. It's coming soon. Enjoy!

Please don't stop or hold back to give me comments, messages or reviews on what you think of my story.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

On the very next day at sometime in the afternoon sunshine, we see Arya and Sophia walking through the thick and deep forest, on their journey to find Sophia's mother and her group.

Right now, Arya was quietly stalking and hunting a male deer with impressive antlers when she saw it from an almost far distance from the woman hunter and the little girl with her. Arya made sure that Sophia stayed by her side as she hunted the big buck while the child was watching her and learning from her with avid interest and eagerness that made Arya smile.

Then when Arya sees the male deer and she finds that she's got a clear shot, she drew out her long bow and an arrow from her quiver, carefully and quietly set and drew it in a perfect graceful move, aiming right at the buck then instantly shoots as the arrow flies and it struck and hit right at the target in a perfect bull's eye.

The buck fell dead with Arya's arrow shot clean through and stuck on its head, right onto the ground with a soft thud. Arya smiled widely as she and Sophia ran towards the dead deer and looked down at it.

"Hello, lunch!" Arya said cheerfully and then she drew out her long sharp dagger to start skinning and cutting pieces of meat from the dead animal. As she was doing this, she noticed in the corner glance of her eye that Sophia went off silently to gather wood and rocks to make a campfire to cook their food.

Sophia instantly returned back with her pickings and Arya finished skinning and cutting meat pieces and both of them set to work on making the fire and cooking their food.

As they cooked their food with sharp sticks then started eating it as their lunch, Sophia chirps out loud between eating bits and swallows her fill. "I've never eaten deer before!"

Arya chuckles. "I'm really surprised it's your first time, Sophia. That friend of yours of your group, the hunter Daryl Dixon? He ought to know better on hunting other than squirrel or rabbit for you and your group."

Sophia nods and she added. "Daryl knows that too but…every time he tries to hunt deer or something else…they ended up being taken and eaten by walkers first. It annoys him very much whenever that happens."

Arya shakes her head and comments. "Amateur. If he were really a good hunter, then he should've known to hunt deer and other animals that were smart enough to hide and migrate to the deeper and thicker forests, away from the Walkers. I did, when I found out about it. It was a good game and hunt."

"Maybe you should tell him that?" Sophia suggests to her.

Arya snorts and gives a mock-incredulous look at the little girl. "Sophia, didn't you tell me that Daryl Dixon is the grumpiest guy and loner of the group? I ain't risking my neck on going to him if he also has the temper to boot too."

Sophia giggles at this and finished her lunch meal and all her shared fill of food. Arya finishes her fill of food too and they put out the fire and cleaned their mess up and went on their journey, walking through the forest.

Arya also cut out the deer buck's antlers and carved and fashioned them into wicked sharp weapons, almost like daggers or curved knives, as Arya holstered her new handmade weapons on her person and she went walking with Sophia onto the deep forest woods.

LINE BREAK

Back in the farm and whole peaceful land and lot, belonging to the old man farmer Herschel, and somewhere camped nearby the family house, the other people of the group, Sophia's mother Carol, Dale, T-Dog, Glenn, Lori and Carol were there sitting around by chairs and beside the fire and their cars parked there, they were all waiting for Rick, Shane and Daryl to return back from the highway and find out what they have investigated and discovered.

Carol, Sophia's mother, was praying and hoping that Sophia is somehow still alive and out there somewhere, and not in trouble or in horrible circumstances from this unknown psycho person who painted those terrifying and horrible red painted signs back in the highway when they went there before. She also prayed and hoped that her little girl is still alive and would somehow find her way home back to her.

Carol and the others of the group then heard sounds of cars and motorcycle approach and they turn to see that the three men they were waiting for anxiously, just came back and returned from their trek to the highway.

Carol was the first to get there before the others as the vehicles parked and Rick and Shane came out of the truck and Daryl dismounted from the motorcycle.

"Well? What did you find? Does this psycho has my daughter or not?!" the anxious mother cried frantically.

Rick didn't want to do this but he knew that he had to do it and told Carol the bad news. "We tried to look at it deeply and more, Carol but…we didn't find anything that would give us a clue on who did the signs in the highway and whether that person has Sophia or not." He added in hurriedly as if to give her comfort. "But I'm sure that Sophia's safe. She must've seen the signs earlier and is still out there."

Unfortunately, that did not comfort Carol at all because both the concepts of her little girl Sophia still out there, lost and alone and afraid, or with the crazy psycho person who did the red signs on the highway, it just gave the poor mother more worries and fears over her only child.

The others tried to comfort her as Rick knew this as well and he was about to speak something else to try to cheer her up but Daryl suddenly interrupted in an annoyed voice. "Much as I hate to interrupt the moment, but you're all wasting your time here debating on everything that's been happening. All of you should focus on going out there and looking for Sophia." Daryl said firmly.

They look at him, all expressing disbelief and annoyance over Daryl's nonchalant attitude but Daryl ignored their looks as he looked over his crossbow weapon and hoisted it on his shoulder as he was ready to go back into the forest woods and keep searching for Sophia.

Daryl snaps calmly. "While you're all arguing amongst yourselves on whatever drama you guys are still on about, _I'm_ going out there and look for her. Anyone wants to follow my example—then please, do so."

With that said, Daryl just went off marching away, leaving the stunned group except Carol who looked absolutely grateful and a bit ashamed of herself as she watches Daryl Dixon leave and go into the forest.

"He's right, Rick." Shane hated to agree with the redneck archer but he admits it out loud. "We should start on splitting teams and do the double search for Sophia."

Rick nodded and was about to tell the others to gather up but then his wife Lori voiced out the other question they had to deal with the matter.

"What about Herschel? Doesn't he need to know about this? About the signs that were in the highway?" she asks.

It was a valid question as they looked at Rick for the answer but Rick shakes his head and said. "Much as I don't want to say this but…Herschel wants us off his land." As he admitted this out loud, they were all shocked upon this confession as they looked at him shocked and with horrified disbelief.

Rick continues on before they start to give out protests or start an argument with him. "I'm doing my best to convince Herschel to let us stay here. So far he'll tolerate us being here, since he's lenient with Carl's recovery, the search for Sophia _and_ giving up our _weapons_…but he's still looking for any excuse to get us out of here. If we tell him of the signs in the highway—Herschel will take it and use that to make us leave."

Andrea almost shouts loudly with fury. "He can't do that!"

"He can. And he will. _I'm_ not surprised. I noticed the dirty looks the old man has been giving us, despite all the niceties we've been giving to him and his family and friends." Shane said as he agrees with Rick on why he kept that fact silent, even though he's also angry with the old farmer's selfishness.

Dale said with a hopeful voice tone. "Maybe if we talk to him, he'll understand?" But from the looks of the others and Rick's grim and solemn expression, he knew that it was a lost and hopeless point because Herschel's distrust of outsiders and strangers in his land was very deep and ingrained in the old elder.

So Rick quickly changed the subject and started gathering his group and paired and split up teams for the double search for the lost little girl Sophia. Rick decided that he and Shane will search the area on the south-east of the woods while T-Dog and Glenn will search on the north-west. The others will still stay by the camp to look after things and Dale and Andrea volunteered to take watch for any dangers around.

As they went to do their tasks, Rick was deep in thought and he was hoping and praying that they will find Sophia soon and Carol will be happy and he hoped that he will find a way on trying to convince Herschel to let him and his family and his friends stay in his land.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, back to Arya and Sophia, the sun was about to go down and the forest started to darken because of night time. Arya was getting worried for her and her young companion's safety as she noticed on the area around her that there aren't any strong and big trees they can climb and sleep on for the night, and be safely away from the dangers on the ground—like the Walkers and the Bandits.

Arya didn't want to pressure on continuing on while it's so dark and during the night where so many dangerous things can come at them at once and without warning, but the woman knew she had no choice and she knew deep down she would rather die fighting to protect the little girl Sophia beside her and bring her back to her mother and her friends.

Arya knew very well that she's quite exhausted and tired for their day's journey and Sophia is the same as well, but after not seeing any comfortable and secured safe places from the night's dangers…Arya had to be forced with the hard and difficult decision on walking on, despite their exhaustion and fatigue.

Arya was fortunate and lucky enough that she was very skilled and good on going through the forest during night time and watch out for any dangers that come out of the dark, that was when Sophia saw something in the distance and she cries out in excitement and points. "Arya, look!"

Arya follows Sophia's direction as she looks at where she's looking and pointing at, and then she sees it. She stares with slight blinks at the lone abandoned house that was there in the woods. No lights were lit inside but she and Sophia can still see it, despite that it's night time and it's already getting dark.

"Come on! Let's go, Arya!" Sophia cries eagerly and excited, and she suddenly runs forwards towards the abandoned house before Arya snaps out of it.

"Sophia, wait! Stop! Sophia!" Arya almost yells out loud to her as she runs quickly to the little girl. She managed to catch up to Sophia and stop her before the young child enters through the door of the old abandoned and haunted-like house.

"Sophia, just hold on and wait a minute. You don't know what's in there. Let me go in first and see if there isn't any Walkers or Bandits inside the house." Arya told and cautioned her. Sophia instantly understands and she went meekly behind Arya for protection, and clutching her doll tightly for comfort as Arya steps forward, drawing out her bow and arrow, ready for anything and she opens the door silently, looking around inside.

Arya motions a gesture to Sophia to wait for a moment by the doorway and Arya poises her bow and arrow, ready to shoot, as she looks for any potential dangers. Upon seeing nothing and its clear, she motions for Sophia to come in and stay by her side and Sophia silently complies, instantly scurries to the woman's side, with one hand gripping and clutching tightly on a part on the back of her sleeveless shirt and the little girl glances around her, in case if Arya misses anything she didn't see.

Arya didn't protest upon feeling Sophia take hold on her from behind with one hand as she was confident that she's able to protect her while the child's on her side as she slowly and quietly walks on the house, inspecting and looking into more of the rooms and spaces in the abandoned house, making sure that there isn't any dangers hidden inside.

It took for about a few minutes on inspecting the whole house and all Arya found was just two Walkers that were still in there and she killed them easily, even though that Sophia was still there by her side and witnesses it. One of the walking dead corpses she found was locked in a closet while the second was trapped in the attic. Arya easily killed them since the Walkers were very slow to react and attack them and after she finds that there are no more dangers in the house, Arya calmly searches for any lights and lights them up to brighten their way and around.

She managed to find some matches and unused candles and lights them up in a low dim light and Sophia was happy for this, her face beaming with joy and relief at the candle light.

Arya made Sophia stay put in one room, in which it used to be the kitchen, with one candle light while she locks up and secures the abandoned house from the dangers outside and the little girl waits as she listens quietly, staring at the candle and clutching her doll tightly for comfort as Arya worked on locking the doors and windows secured and tight, and also blocking them with boards and furniture for good measure, before Arya finished them all on that task and returned back to her.

When Arya returns, Sophia couldn't help herself but leap up from where she was and instantly hug Arya as if reassuring herself that Arya is always there for her and protect her from any bad things that will come at them. Arya was surprised and touched at this and she returns the young girl's hug and embraces her with firm gentle arms.

"Okay. Now that it's good that we found this house, Sophia…let's see if we might be able to find something to eat for dinner and find a nice bed to sleep on." Arya says softly.

Upon saying this, Sophia was excited and happy on the concept of eating real food and a warm comfy bed to sleep on and she was almost jumping on her feet and Arya holds back a giggle upon noticing the child's enthusiasm.

It didn't take long for Arya and Sophia to find un-opened and un-spoiled canned foods and food packs, as the two of them sat down on the living room comfortably, eating their dinner of good and fresh food. After they finished eating their dinner, Arya packed the remaining canned foods and food packs on their backpack of supplies.

Then they went up to look into one of the bedrooms and sleep on the comfy beds they could find. Sophia found one, almost squealing out with joy as she pulled and almost dragged Arya into the room by the hand as Arya follows her lead smiling until Sophia got her inside.

The bedroom Sophia found had a large double bed and its thick and big comforter and blankets and fluffy pillows was still there on the almost fancy-looking bed but it was all covered in dust.

Arya went forward and took the task on cleaning the bed, pulling off the blankets and comforter and patted and padded on it, making the dust fly before she puts it back on the bed and fluffs off the pillows in the same way before she puts it back. After making the bed all clean and dust free, Sophia instantly jumps on the bed eagerly, and the young girl giggles as the bed bounces from her weight.

Arya smiles as she watches Sophia eagerly scurries under the blankets, curling herself in and lays her small head on the comfy pillows until she notices Sophia looking up at her, blinking curiously.

Arya gave her a warm smile as she joins the little girl on the bed, putting aside their backpacks on the side, and also her weapons and bow and arrow and she comfortably enters under the blankets and tucks herself in.

Then Arya smiles down to Sophia and tucks her in, brushing a gentle flicking gesture on her hair to comfort her as the little girl slowly drifts off to sleep and slumber peacefully.

She was surprised that the child just quickly fall asleep but Arya knew that it has been long time for the young little girl to finally be sleeping on a warm and cozy bed. Arya settles herself in, but hides and tucks her long knife dagger under her pillow, just in case, and she blows out the candles of their light into darkness before Arya joins Sophia into a peaceful and quiet restful sleep.

LINE BREAK

By the next morning as the sun rise and its rays of light hit the abandoned rundown house, through the windows in the bedroom where Arya and Sophia lie sleeping on the big bed, Arya wakes up first with her eyes slowly blinking open from sleep when the sunlight hit her face and she gave a soft yawn and sat up and stretched her arms up, as if to shake away the vestiges of sleep.

Then she turned her head to look at the little girl Sophia and she smiles when the child also woke up from the morning sun as Arya watches her rub her eyes blearily, trying to remove the sleep off from her eyes.

Sophia blinks and her eyes cleared up of sleep as she looks up at Arya and Arya smiles down to her. "Good morning, Sophia."

She smiles shyly and responds back. "Morning, Arya."

"Sleep well?" she asks kindly.

Sophia nods, smiling widely, as she basks in the comfy softness of the big comfortable bed. Arya lightly chuckles upon noticing this and she stands up from the bed. "I'm going to make some good food for breakfast. Why don't you stay here and we'll have a nice old traditional bed and breakfast here, is that alright?"

The child beams, lighting up at this and she nodded eagerly and Arya chuckles again as she went rummaging around their bags with their supplies in it, took some food out and went off to make a nice warm cooked meal for their breakfast while Sophia still stayed on the bed.

It didn't take long because Arya cooked quickly, just so the cooking wouldn't be grabbing attention to anything outside to the abandoned old house, like Walkers or Bandits. Arya finished, cleaned up the mess neatly but not enough for anyone who might stumble into the house next time after they left, just so that they wouldn't notice that someone else had been in the house, and Arya brought her and Sophia's food upstairs, back into the bedroom.

When Arya went back in the room, she smiles on seeing that Sophia was sitting up in her bed, playing with her doll or fooling around a little with the sharp bladed knife she kept safe under the pillow for added protection and Sophia looks up and lights up when she came in with the tray of food in her hands, steam wafting up and giving the enticing nourishing smell of the breakfast meal she cooked for them.

Sophia was happy but feels a bit ashamed of herself when she noticed that Arya found her playing with her sharp weapon without adult supervision, and Arya didn't scold her for it but the adult woman give a stern and firm pointed look, making the child deftly put the knife away in a fair distance from her.

Arya smiles warmly when Sophia placed the knife far and away on the bedside table and she carefully placed the tray on the bed while Sophia salivated over the warm cooked breakfast meal she made for both of them.

"Eat up, Sophia. We still have a long journey ahead of us, to search for your mother and your group and get you back to them, so we need all the strength and energy we can get." She said. Arya smiles when Sophia nods with her mouth full as she already started eating and Arya follows on eating her breakfast.

After they finished and both young child and adult had their bags packed and ready for their continuing journey when Arya suddenly remembered something and said that they needed to make this house look messy and seemed abandoned-looking and rundown again, as if no one else even them had been into this place.

Sophia gave her confused look and Arya explains. "It's just to throw off any tracks or trails from other people like the Bandits…I can't take the chance and risk it, knowing that other people might come and find this house and they noticed that someone else had been here and they might want to find us, Sophia."

Sophia instantly understands and she nodded as she looked at the big comfy bed with a stricken look as if she didn't want to ruin the nice bed and make it messy. Arya soothes her and said. "Let's just put the nice blankets and comfy pillows away in a closet. It's a waste and shame to make them all dirty and messy after the comfort they just gave us and put us in a nice good night's sleep."

Sophia grinned widely up at her gratefully and the little girl eagerly took the task on tucking and putting the blankets and pillow away, downstairs into the almost empty food closet and slightly let the door close a little, just in case they return there in the house again.

Sophia went back to Arya as the adult woman already finished on making the house looked rundown and abandoned and messy enough, to give the appearance that no one has even set foot in here ever since. Then Arya smiles at her and motioned to Sophia so that they leave through the back door of the house, for good measure just in case for any other passer-by that might already be about to come there.

Arya and Sophia walked out through the back door and Arya notices that in the back there was a small garden with a few flowers blooming beautifully under the morning sunlight.

Arya saw something amongst the flowers that caught her interest and knew that it would brighten Sophia's day when the little girl sees it and she tells the nice legendary story about it to Sophia.

"Sophia, look." Arya said and she turns to look and then she stares wide-eyed in wonder at the three white rose-like flowers Arya found in the small garden.

"Wow…" Sophia whispers and Arya smiles, already expected the little girl's expression and she's happy about her reaction.

"It's a Cherokee Rose." She said as Sophia stares at it then looks up at Arya curiously, her face asking on what the flower is.

"The story goes that…long ago when American soldiers run off Indians off the land, many Indian mothers cried for their young and little ones who got lost in the way. The mothers grieved for their lost children, who were lost and alone and out there miserable somewhere, and feared for them to be lost and alone forever, or die of starvation or sickness…or death itself. So the older and elder Indian shamans sent a prayer to God…and asked for them to give the poor mothers a sign. A sign to give hope and strength to the mothers that their lost little ones, their children are still out there somewhere, and they are giving and showing their love of the children back to their mothers who cried their love for them. And the prayers were answered. Every tears fell, shed and cried from the mothers…bloomed a beautiful flower…known as the Cherokee Rose."

Sophia was full of wonder and awe, and entranced by the story Arya told her as she smiles down at her. "One of these flowers…bloomed from your mother, Sophia." She said.

As she said this, Sophia's eyes went wide and stared at the Cherokee Rose flowers, before her eyes slightly shine and glisten with tears. "My mom? She cried for me?" she asks, her voice shaking and Arya reached out and hugged her gently with one arm around her.

"She did, Sophia. Wherever your mother is, she's out there crying for you…and her tears bloomed this Cherokee Rose to show you that your mother still hopes that you're alive out here, safe and sound and that she still loves you and prays that you'll find your way back to her." Arya said warmly.

After she said this, Sophia turns and sobs on Arya's shoulder, crying out her joy and grief for her mother out there while Arya is silent, her big arms around the little girl, and comforts her as she cries.

When Arya feels that Sophia finished crying and meekly rubs her eyes and face against her shoulder and draws away with a shy smile before Arya returns it, giving her a kind smile.

"Since one of these Cherokee Roses is yours, you can keep it, Sophia. Just so that you know that your mother's out there somewhere and hoping and praying for you to come home to her." She said.

Sophia was happy of this and Arya was the one who gently cut one of the Cherokee Rose flowers from its ground end and she gently placed the beautiful white rose-like flower into Sophia's doll, tying it carefully onto the doll's hair and Sophia smiles again and hugs her doll with its new flower on it to her body tightly.

Arya smiles on seeing the young child cheered up brightly and happily and she let Sophia take her hand as they went off into the forest and continued on their journey to search for Sophia's mother and her group.

CHAPTER END

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Another chapter ended. Hope you like it?

I am sorry that this chapter took so long, because I got hold up and tangled on the month's holidays.

Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and give me your comments, thoughts or reviews about it.

I decided to slightly change the part of the story on when Daryl found the empty abandoned house and found the Cherokee Rose and gave one flower to Carol. I know that you've seen the episode where Daryl found two flowers of Cherokee Rose, so I added in the story that there were three before, and Arya took one of them for Sophia. I hope this clarifies things.

Next chapter, we see Arya and Sophia finally reach the small river creek, follow it and Sophia accidentally loses her doll on the trip and Arya went back to go and get it. Instead of Daryl, it was Arya who got Sophia's doll back and we see and read on what happens to Arya on the event when she gets Sophia's doll back and they finally reached the end of their journey and found Sophia's mother and her group in Herschel's farm and land.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of my story. It's coming soon!

PLEASE REVIEW!


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